Grounded
by Lumenati
Summary: She was never what he wanted. He never gave her the time of day. She was strong enough to handle everything by herself—she was strong enough for him. But every smile, every silly joke, and laughter made her a little weaker. The War is over and five years had passed. Everything changed but one thing's for sure: she is Toph, and she was never what he wanted. Right? Taang.
1. Chapter 1 - Scarred

"Aang! _ON YOUR LEFT_!"

It took Aang a moment too long to understand Toph's warning. He was so tired, drained from yesterday's battle with the New Ozai Society. Five years after ending the War, Ozai loyalists continue to create chaos and disrupt the balance of the world. When Aang came to know of their existence, they weren't as bold as they were now. Petty theft, bullying, and spreading propaganda to existing Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom kept them busy, but Team Avatar was quick to snuff it out.

Aang, always the pacifist, tried reasoning with the organization that peace and stability were underway. That it will take time and great effort but possible if they would just cooperate. Fortunately for him, they listened. Unfortunately for the world, they grew tired of waiting.

Now, with three giant metal drills, a dozen tanks, and a small army of battle hungry firebenders hammering down the walls of Ba Sing Se, Aang's getting tired of dealing with them the nice way.

With barely a day passed from apprehending most of their members near Omashu, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Suki, her Kyoshi Warriors and a small group of earthbenders sent by King Bumi are all nearing a burnout. Lack of sleep from night patrols and being on constant alert for fear of ambushes left them vulnerable to the onslaught of attacks from the New Ozai Society.

And in that moment of vulnerability, Aang—exhausted from airbending a barrage of bombs away from the walls—didn't see the giant fireball coming straight towards him.

Everything happened in slow motion. One moment, he was staring at the blazing fire, terror washing over him as he realized that the fireball was coming too fast to evade and counter. Next, a body made of hard rock appeared to cover his own and saved him from what would probably be his untimely demise.

But even the hardened earth crumbled when the fireball hit. An agonized scream tore through the battlefield, and Toph Beifong—the Greatest Earthbender in the world—fell to her knees, the sound reverberating around them.

Those two, painful sounds he thought he would never hear from her shook Aang to the core.

And then he unleashed himself.

It has been two years since he called on the Avatar state. Only when he needed it most desperately did he depend on the power of his past lives. It wasn't something he enjoyed being in to. He still lacked control and that scared him. More than anything else, unintentionally hurting someone will cause him so much grief that he would likely swear off going under its influence if only he could protect the world and those he loved from himself.

But Toph's scream broke through his control. Her burned, ravaged back forever etched in his mind made him see red. Rage, burning rage flooded through him and he unleashed it upon the people who dare hurt his beloved friend.

A sphere of air cocooned Aang and he lifted himself above the ground. He called on the other three elements, fire, water, and earth swirling around his body in rings. He raised both of his hands and bent spikes of earth underneath the drills, piercing through metal. He closed his right hand in a fist and the land beneath the tanks turned into mud, trapping them. Aang let out a roar of fire and coated his arms in hardened ice swords.

He dove straight towards the tanks. He swung and sliced until they are all left in ribbons.

Toph.

Toph.

Toph.

Her scream, her back, the pure terror in her voice when she shouted her warning was all he could think of. He was losing every control he established within himself. The building rage was so alien to him. It left him blind to all reasoning, paralyzed in shame of not being able to protect her.

 _Toph._

The loyalists were screaming to retreat, but most were too stunned to move. Except one.

Feeling his vibrations, Aang felt the firebender take on an offensive stance. He slowly turned his head and stared directly at the loyalist with glowing eyes.

The firebender didn't stand down. He didn't cower and only stood firmer, meeting the stare of the Avatar, the strongest person, and bender alive in the world.

Aang slowly walked toward him, the earth beneath his feet rumbling slightly, the air becoming more suffocating and stifling from the heat of his fire.

The loyalist sent a kick of fire. Aang waved it off with only a flick of his hand. The firebender was sweating now, but he didn't back down and continued sending bursts of fire towards the Avatar.

Aang deflected all his attacks with half a thought all the while continuing his slow advance. He then noticed the absence of the other loyalists around the area and saw them bolting away from the wall.

Aang stomped his foot on the ground and a giant wall of earth rose from the ground, blocking their escape. He created a dome of earth around the loyalists, entrapping them inside. His left hand—still coated in sharp, hardened ice—Aang closed the distance between him and the firebender who stumbled on his feet and fell on his back.

"P-please! M-mercy!" the firebender's only response was Aang grabbing the front of his tunic, his ice sword inches away from his throat.

A thousand voices speaking all at once, Aang uttered the words Avatar Kyoshi once said to him before, "Only justice will bring peace." And drew back his arm.

" _AANG! STOP!_ "

Katara.

Aang managed to stop his arm from finishing the deadly blow. The tip of his ice sword nicked the firebender's neck and the sight of blood made Aang stagger back, the Avatar state receding its control of him.

The moment Aang broke contact the firebender scurried off. Breaking through the haze of rage and shock, Aang encased the firebender's legs in an earthen grip, cutting off his escape.

Katara ran towards Aang and puts her arms around his waist. Shaking in disbelief on what he had done, he tentatively wrapped one arm around her shoulders, holding her close. She was shaking. The front of his robe where her cheek is resting is slightly damp and then he realized—she was crying.

"Shh, shh, it's okay now. I'm back. I'm back." He repeated the words as gently as he could. Katara raised her head and stared at him with so much sadness that made him want to run far, far away.

"Aang... you were... I've never seen you like that before." She was still shaking in his arms. She stepped back and held him at arms' length with a wary eye.

"Katara..." Why is she staring at him like that, like he was a _stranger?_ Like she was staring at someone she can't trust? He tried to pull her back into his embrace but she stepped back.

As if she didn't want him close.

"Katara, I-I lost control. When I saw what happened to Toph—" he stopped mid-sentence. Remembering his friend, he ran back to where he last saw the earthbender leaving Katara behind.

 _I'll explain later. Katara will understand. She always does._ Aang thought hopefully.

Right now, he needed to see Toph.

The earthbender was lying face down on the ground, unconscious. Sokka and Suki were kneeling down beside her, clothes torn and eyes heavy with exhaustion but otherwise fine. Suki gave Aang a small smile that looked more like a grimace.

Sokka, on the other hand, stared at him with narrowed eyes. He moved closer to Toph.

As if he's putting himself between them. As if he needed to protect her from the Avatar, her best friend.

Aang didn't let the hurt show on his face and instead knelt down on Toph other's side.

What he saw made him struggle to control the Avatar state from resurging once more.

A huge hole from the clothing on her back—starting from her shoulder blades down to the bottom of her spine—was burned away. On the middle was a huge burst of singed skin. The damage done to her was big enough to tell Aang how much pain she must have suffered. That fireball wasn't as strong as Zuko's, but big and hot enough to do some serious damage without some defenses. Toph should have been able to withstand that kind of attack with her rock armor.

Unless she wasn't able to bend more earth around her in her haste to protect him and save his life.

Aang was feeling a lot of things too much too quickly. But most of all, he felt like a complete failure. He's failing in establishing balance in the world. He's failing the people he loved.

He failed Toph.

He doesn't know which one is worse: that he unleashed the Avatar state and nearly killed someone or seeing Toph shield him from a fate he wasn't yet ready to face.

"I healed her as much as I could with the water I have left. We have to get her back to camp so I can do a full healing session," said Katara. Aang didn't notice her come up behind him. He nodded absentmindedly.

Being the Avatar, Aang symbolized strength, peace, and balance. At the age of 12, he was powerful enough to defeat Ozai and end the Hundred Year War. He _is_ power. But there, kneeling beside Toph, injured and battered, he had never felt so weak. Being the Avatar did nothing to save her or him from what happened. He hung his head low.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Sokka and Suki staring at the direction of the trapped loyalists. They exchanged a look. Sokka turned to Katara and gave her a hard nod.

"Aang. I'll take care of Toph. You and Sokka should stay here and deal with the loyalists. We still need to... fix this mess." There it is again. That wariness in her tone proved what she felt for Aang earlier. She was wary of him.

Aang was too tired to reassure her that she has nothing to fear. Katara should've known by now that he would never, ever let anyone or anything hurt her.

But why did it feel like it wasn't true anymore?

"Katara's right. Toph needs some serious healing right now and we still have these Fire Nation psychos to deal with." Sokka moved, shifting his arms to try and carry Toph but Aang beat him to it.

"I'll do it. I'll meet you back here after I put her on Appa." Just as he was about to lift her, Sokka grabbed his arm. There was an intense feeling of protectiveness in that grip that unnerved Aang. He gave the Water Tribe warrior a long, tired stare.

"I won't hurt her, Sokka…" Something in his tone made Sokka drop his hand as quick as it came. He scratched the back of his head and refused to meet Aang's eyes.

"I know, I know, just… be careful with her. She's been through enough."

 _What?_ "What do you mean?" Did something happen to Toph? What is Sokka not telling him?

The warrior just shook his head and stood up. "Right now, we need those loyalists out of here and into Fire Nation territory. Zuko will handle the rest." He eyed the domed earth and the trapped firebender attempting to free himself. "Let's just hope this is the last time we get to see these idiots." He offered Aang a small smile.

"I hope so too, Sokka." Katara was already on Appa, hands on the reins. Aang tightened his hold around Toph, careful not to touch her marred back. "For all our sakes."

* * *

 **A/N: This story will have canon retellings in flashbacks. Our Gaang's five years older, and the world needs more Taang. Review/favorite/follow!**


	2. Chapter 2 - Aftermath

She was an idiot.

That was the first thought that came to mind when Toph finally woke up. She was lying face down on a bedroll, definitely Sokka's by the smell of it. Her whole body ached and trembled as if it was still absorbing the impact of the attack behind her back.

Her back.

Toph never really cared about appearances. Hell, her "healthy coating of earth" is probably a second skin by now. Even if she was born into the nobility and being pretty perfect was the norm, she didn't really see the importance of it all.

Because she's blind, damn it and right now what her back looks like was the least of her concerns.

She jumped in front of a giant, blazing fireball to save a wimpy-ass Avatar from certain death. Just thinking about it made her head pound. A second of hesitation from her end would have killed the world's only hope of attaining peace and balance in the world. A heartbeat more and they would have lost everything.

And she would have lost her best friend.

And that was just unacceptable.

Toph surprised even herself at how easy it was to accept her death rather than Aang's. She knows how she is and what most think about her: rude, brash, proud, infuriatingly stubborn but never... selfless. She knows she cares about Aang, but she didn't realize—up until that decisive moment of sacrifice—that it ran so deep she was willing to throw her life away. Literally.

She didn't know what that meant. And seeing how she can barely raise herself up, she gave up and wondered how stupid everything that happened was. All of this would have been avoided if Aang just listened to her in the first place. Instead of ambushing the loyalists and catching them off guard two days ago. Aang wanted to try and talk, certain that a few words of peace would instantly inspire a change of heart.

Boy, did that work.

Toph continued to ache all over, but not just from her back wound or exhaustion. She ached for her damaged pride. She ached at the thought of not being able to feel Aang's light footsteps if she hesitated in saving him a second longer. She ached at the thought of losing him forever and the effect it would've brought to her friends—her family. And since when did she become so mushy?

Gradually, she drifted off to sleep on Sokka's smelly bedroll.

* * *

She awoke again to the sounds of Aang and Katara fighting outside her tent.

"We're better than this, Katara. I don't have to beg you to tell me what's wrong. Just tell me!" Toph never heard Aang sound so…pissed. She slowly lifted her right hand—gritting her teeth in pain at the movement—to touch the ground beside her head, feeling the vibrations coming off from the two of them just a few feet away.

"I did tell you what's wrong! You just... scared me that's all! What more do you want me to say?" Sugar Queen was pissed too.

What are they talking about? Toph hated eavesdropping, knowing how unnerving it was for people to catch you unawares—before she learned earthbending. But it was rare for Aang and Katara to fight in the open. It was rare for them to fight period. Whatever it was, Toph wanted to know just what made the perfect couple... well imperfect. Plus, she's sure Sokka and Suki are doing the same thing right now knowing how hard it was for the Kyoshi Warrior to steer away from gossip, let alone a lover's quarrel.

"I want you to tell me why you can't talk about it. You've been… cold since the battle. This wasn't just the first time that I-I lost control." There was shame in the way Aang spoke. Toph hated it.

Is he talking about the Avatar state?

Why would he be ashamed of that? Of course, Toph could only imagine how Aang is like when he's in it based on Sokka's nonstop battle commentaries in the past. His eyes and tattoos would glow and something about the four elements coming around him—which is totally cool by the way (not that she will admit it to him).

Like a badass bending master. Sokka said. She laughed, hard, when she heard that. Describing Twinkle Toes as badass just sounded so ridiculous.

But Toph knew that Aang isn't weak. Maybe a wimp, a wuss definitely, but not weak. Toph would never say it out loud but she admired his guts, his strength to carry the world's problems on his shoulders and still get to ask them—with childish enthusiasm—if they want to go try penguin sliding at the South Pole when they all have the chance to visit.

He is… a breeze of wonder, a spark of hope, in a world that suffered too much from greed and fire. At that moment, Toph knew that jumping in front of that fireball did not only save Aang but the sanity of this world as well.

She had no regrets.

Lost in thought, Toph almost didn't hear Katara's reply.

"Yes, it wasn't. But it was the first time I felt that you were beyond my reach." Katara whispered. She sounded like she was on the verge of crying.

"But I snapped out of it, as I always do because you helped brought me back! What made this time so different?" Aang whispered back harshly. A good friend would have left them alone, giving them the privacy they needed. Toph should just ignore them, she should go back to sleep and ask about it later because—

"Because you were this close to killing somebody!"

What the hell?

The world stood silent. Toph was holding her breath. It was like waiting for the storm to hit, and neither of them were ready when it comes.

"You think I don't regret that?" came Aang's hoarse reply. "You think I'm not losing my mind knowing that what I did, what I was so close to doing, went against every instinct I had?" That was pure anguish in Aang's voice, so raw and brittle that Toph thought he was going to break down right there.

Katara was still too silent. _Say something, Sugar Queen! Do your positive reinforcement or whatever!_ Toph's mind is running with so many questions. There are so many things that she wanted to ask Aang right now. Feeling the thick tension between the two, she thought maybe a little interruption might do them some good. But then they'll realize she's been listening the whole time and she's just not that kind of idiot right now.

Toph felt Aang step closer to Katara. The storm's about to hit any second now, she could feel it.

"I was terrified more than you'll ever know, Katara." He raised his hand to cup Katara's face, to hug her, to kiss her, she didn't know. She couldn't tell.

Because Katara walked away. And then the storm hit.

Only a few things can shock Toph into silence. Katara walking away from Aang, _Aang_ out of all people was something unimaginable even to Toph's skeptical standards of love.

 _What are you doing Sugar Queen? Go back! Go back to him right now!_

Katara's footsteps suddenly stopped. Toph wondered if she miraculously invented mindbending as well, but she turned around and said, "Get some rest, Aang. Let's just talk about this in the morning." She started walking away again.

"Katara, please." Aang moved to follow her but something stopped him in his tracks. "Please." he cried.

"I'm tired, Aang. Get some rest. Please." She pleaded. Katara went inside her own tent and left Aang near Toph's, who is still shocked beyond belief.

It was quiet for a long time, the only sound coming from Aang's efforts in muffling his cries. Toph wanted to get out of her tent, to comfort him she realized. Again, another stupid idea since she's not that good with that sort of thing. She can't even follow her own advice sometimes. What can she do for Aang?

About an hour passed when Toph felt him come closer. Hastily pretending to be asleep, she moved her head to the side and snored loudly.

The flap of her tent was shoved aside, cold wind breezing in. _Monkey feathers, how long was he out there?_ By the feel of his shivering, she guessed it was a long, long while.

He sat down on her right side. She didn't know what to do so she just continued snoring, certain that being the goody-goody monk that he is, he will leave and let her fake sleep in peace.

"You can cut the snoring now, Toph." Damn it, she hated confrontations.

"How did you know I was faking it?"

"I felt your movements when I got close enough. Obviously, you taught me so well about feeling the vibrations." The attempt at humor fell flat, probably because his voice sounded so dead.

With a groan, Toph moved her head back and faced Aang. The mighty Avatar. Her first student. Her friend.

"You do know it's rude to come inside someone's tent uninvited, especially when said someone is injured." She gave him her trademark smirk, knowing it irritates him.

"And you do know it's rude to eavesdrop on people." Shit, shit, shit, this is bad. Toph bit her lip and scrambled her brain for an excuse. When she couldn't find any, and with Aang waiting for her to answer, she opted for the last resort.

She sighed and gathered her strength to push herself up. She felt Aang's hands come around her to help but she waved them off. No way was she going to let him or anyone of her friends assist her in carrying her own weight. She made that clear five years ago and she's going to stand by it. Even if it did look pathetic on how slow it took to ease her body in a sitting position. Stupid fireball.

Exhaling her embarrassment from everything, she faced Aang and lifted her head to look as if she's staring at his eyes.

"Look, I didn't mean to. You and Katara weren't exactly keeping it low-key." She shrugged.

Aang released a heavy sigh and placed his head in his hands. He released a shuddering breath and Toph being Toph decided that she had heard enough of it. "Hey, Twinkle Toes, cut that out. This tent has a strict no crying policy. I won't have a crybaby Avatar here, you hear me?" Really, can't she cut him some slack?

Aang was really surprising her today because instead of being angry and throwing some half-assed insult at her—like what she predicted—he just gave a breathy laugh. He was still sad and felt downright devastated, but that laugh made her ease a little. She couldn't really punch him now to show that she cared so she placed a tentative hand on his shoulder.

"I'm only going to say this once so listen carefully." She tried sounding less hard but Toph never learned how to do Katara's motherly approach. That's just not who she is. Coming to a quiet resolve, she sidled closer to Aang until their knees were touching and she could feel the muted heat from his body. Toph could never be like Katara, who is the embodiment of all things compassionate, caring, and loving. Toph can feel those things, has wondered about them, but she can never project them right to others. Tonight, she can be something else to her friend. She can be his rock—strong, unmovable, and blunt, grounding him to reality before he drifted off to despair. As she had always been.

"I don't know the whole story of what happened between you and Sugar Queen. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but know that what you did back there, in the battle with the loyalists I mean, is not your fault." Aang, his head still in his hands, fidgeted. But Toph's hand remained firm on his shoulder.

"We never wished for the War to happen. We never wanted to have a group of firebenders throwing a tantrum and going berserk around the Earth Kingdom just because they got impatient. We never intended for things to happen the way they are. They just do." Aang stilled and finally lifted his head to stare at Toph. She did her best to give him a genuine smile that she hoped wouldn't look like a grimace.

"You better stop blaming yourself for every negative thing that's happening in the world. The world's full of crazy and stupid. There will always be pains in our asses. We can never save the whole world, Aang, but you, me, Katara, Sokka, Suki, Zuko and the rest of our allies have given it something unimaginable a hundred years ago."

Aang held his breath and whispered, "What's that?"

"Hope, Twinkle Toes. We can give the world hope for as long as we can." She didn't notice that her hands had reached the back of his neck, his breath fanning her face, his heartbeat a steady drum that echoed her own. They were so close but neither of them broke contact. They just sat there, knees to knees, gripped by the intimacy of her words, years of friendship, and the sacrifice she willingly made to save his life.

Aang suddenly reached out and copied her actions. He gently held the back of her neck and leaned down, resting his forehead on hers. Toph blinked but stayed where she was. It was slowly dawning on her that this was becoming too intimate for her and Aang. This might be the closest they've ever been and Toph was clueless on what to do next.

 _Be a rock. Be a rock. Be a rock. You are a rock. You bend the very earth itself, genius! Be. A. FREAKING. Rock._

They stayed that way far too long for comfort. Toph didn't really want to ruin the… moment they were sharing, but his closeness is bothering her too much and she was still so sore.

"Twinkle Toes, I sure hope you're not falling asleep because I'm not going to have you hog my smelly bedroll." The next thing she knew, Aang jerked back and scrambled away from her so fast he hit the tent. Toph bent four pillars of earth, supporting the flimsy thing when it felt like it was about to collapse on them. Twinkle Toes' squirming didn't help much.

"Sorry! Sorry, I-I can fix it. You can sleep in my tent tonight, I'll stay here and—"

"What the hell are you talking about! I can barely sit up! I'll stay here thank you very much. Just make sure you make it up to me tomorrow!" Man, why did he have to stutter that whole sleeping in his tent stuff? She didn't really want to hear that right now, especially not after their…uh, moment. Damn it, she better stop calling it a moment and just a call it a normal scenario of a blind girl comforting a crying Avatar. Yup, all good with that one.

Aang was scratching the back of his head and scooted back to Toph, although a bit farther this time. She leaned back on her hands and tilted her head to the side, focusing on his vibrations and the fast beating of his heart.

She felt Aang's eyes on her and stayed still. _Be a rock. Be a rock. Be a rock._

"Thank you, Toph. I really needed to hear that." She loosened a breath and punched his arm.

"All in a day's work for the Greatest Earthbender in the world I guess." He laughed and she smiled. Good. This is good.

He was still staring at her when she felt the atmosphere shift into something somber, "Not just for the pep talk. But… for saving me." She didn't know what to say.

Aand hung his head low again and breathed deep. "I was so sure that it'll hit me. I didn't expect to be saved. I could only think of all the things I still haven't done, of the people I'll leave behind, of the world that's counting on me. My last thoughts in this lifetime would've been full of regrets. I wasn't ready to die. And it just felt so cruel to suddenly be taken away forever when I just got back." Toph acted out of character and hugged him. She didn't care that her whole body barked in pain or if she was pressing on him too hard. She wanted to make sure he's well and alive. She burrowed her head on the spot where his shoulder meets his neck and inhaled his scent, feeling all of him all at once.

"I thought I was going to die, Toph, without living the life I was lucky to have held on to. I was so scared." He was trembling. Here was the most powerful person in the world, who has lived a thousand lifetimes, confessing his worst fears to a blind runaway. She held him tighter. He held her back. "Then when you leaped in front of me, I thought that nothing could be worse than you dying because of me. That scared me the most."

"You're here, Aang. This is real. You're okay." Meaningless words but words that needed to be said. He let out a broken sob and rested his head on her shoulder, his arms careful not to graze her healing back. "You're okay. I'm okay. We made it, Twinkle Toes." They stayed in each other's embrace for a little while longer.

* * *

Dawn was peeking through the slit of her tent. They spent the night reassuring each other that they made it out alive. They spoke of what happened that day, how Aang lost control, how Katara managed to stop him from killing that firebender, to Toph's "heroics" and how everyone's calling her a hero now.

"So, when we helped you end the Hundred Year War and Ozai's tyranny, we weren't called war heroes then? Since when did the standard become so high, O mighty Avatar?" Toph didn't really care but she does enjoy the perks and benefits from all over the world when they travel. Whenever news of Team Avatar arriving reaches their next stop, locals become so eager to express their gratitude in the best way they know how—most in the form of festivals which is just so awesome.

"You know that everyone knows who you are. But seriously, is being called the Greatest Earthbender in the world not enough for you?" He asked curiously.

Toph snorted and played with her space rock, creating shapes only she could imagine, "It does sound nice when people say you're the best. And when they give you free food? Even better."

Aang let out a chuckle. They were comfortably sitting side by side, back to their usual banter, when she felt the heat of his firebending.

"I know you just got out of a rough patch but I swear to all the spirits that if you burn this tent to the ground, you'll be waking up twenty feet off the ground for a month."

"Relax, Sifu T. You won't let me try out your space rock so I'm just going to settle with fire."

"Go get your own, you whiny Avatar."

"But that could take years! Maybe hundreds of years from now!" he whined. Why did she comfort him again?

"Exactly." He groaned. Toph bent her space rock back to her usual arm ring then leaned back on her hands, stretching her legs before her.

"Are you going to talk about Katara now or are you just going to obsess over my space rock?" It suddenly felt cold. Toph figured that Aang was still very much preoccupied with what happened earlier, and since he doesn't seem like he's leaving anytime soon, she might as well ask the damn question. When he didn't respond, she nudged his feet with her own.

Releasing a long sigh, Aang finally replied, "Ever since… what happened, she started becoming distant. I kept asking her to tell me why she's acting that way but like what you've heard earlier, she just tells me bits and pieces of it and pushes me away. It's frustrating."

Toph gave it a thought. "Maybe she just needs some space, Twinkle Toes. With you bugging her and everything, she might've been unable to really sort her thoughts through. Give her time."

"But I feel her slipping away from me. The longer we stay like this, the worse it'll be for the both of us." Katara and Aang have been together for a long time. Toph knew that little can break the couple apart if that was even possible.

Basing her reply on how much she knew her friends and not from personal experience since she didn't have any, she replied, "I don't know shit, but I believe in you guys. Both of you can work it out."

They both stayed silent for a while, listening to the sounds of the world waking up when he replied, "About that space rock though…"

They spoke and joked until Toph couldn't keep her eyes open anymore with Aang insisting for the nth time that she go back to sleep and rest up so she can "go back to bullying people."

"Okay, okay! Just so you know, you were the one who slipped inside my tent like a thief in the night!"

"I just wanted to know if you were okay! What's wrong with that?"

"How was I supposed to sleep and rest if you're doing nightly visits?"

"H-how did you know I was visiting you?"

"AHA! I didn't, but now I know. Spirits, and I thought you were a monk." It just felt so natural to tease Aang to oblivion. The dark talks of battle and Sugar Queen were long forgotten and Aang was back in good spirits, or as good as it would be given the situation.

What she said must have affected him because his heart's pounding like a rabbaroo in heat. "I-I-It's not what you think! You were injured! I was just looking out for you! And I wanted to know if you're okay. Isn't that what friends do? Take care of each other? I can't just—"

"Hold your ostrich-horse, Twinkle Toes. No need to sound so guilty about it." Toph winked at him and imagined him blushing mad right now. She let out a loud laugh followed by a big yawn.

Toph slowly lied down on her stomach. Aang still didn't leave and she really was exhausted. Being a good friend is tiring. "Spit it out or no one's sleeping today."

Aang took a deep breath and grabbed Toph's right hand in a loose grip. "Years will pass and you'll probably be very, very annoyed with me by then, but I wouldn't stop being thankful for what you've done, Toph." There it is again, that… that feeling she couldn't quite place. She could feel her face heating and that was when it hit her. Toph Beifong, discoverer of metalbending, the Greatest Earthbender of her time, one-time Melon Lord, and full-time pain in everyone's asses was blushing?! She couldn't believe it. Especially if the reason for said blush was Aang. The bald monk whom she enjoys tormenting and is currently in a very committed relationship with one of her closest friends. Nope, this isn't what it is.

Afraid of delving too deep into what she's feeling, she decided she was done being honest. "Eh, no one would've missed me that much."

Aang's hand tightened around hers, "That's a lie and you know it. Did you really think we wouldn't miss you? That I wouldn't miss you?" Okay, she's making it worse. The blush is definitely there right now and she would roll over her own grave before she gives Aang reason to realize that he's making her blush.

"Why are you being so dramatic, Twinkle Toes! Anyone would've done it!" she retorted.

"But you were the only one who did." Aang whispered. His hand felt too hot on her skin. The tent too small for them both.

She removed her hand and patted the back of his own before turning her head away and muttering, "You owe me big time, Twinkle Toes. Maybe a life-changing field trip. Now, get out."

She heard him chuckle and stood up, joints popping. But he just couldn't resist having the last say, "Good night, Toph." With that, he finally left.

With all that has happened since she woke up, she has two conclusions:

First, to never, ever eavesdrop on people. Ever.

Second, she is an idiot. A small, impulsive, idiot.

* * *

 **A/N: Listened to Downtown by Lilla Vargen when I wrote this. Just gave me that Taang feels. Also, thank you to the people who reviewed, followed and added this story to their favorites. You guys may be few, but I appreciate it so much!**


	3. Chapter 3 - Decided

Aang didn't want to wake up.

Not the dying kind, he'd had enough of that. It was mainly because of Katara's promise to talk things through today. Aang ignored the growing light streaming in his tent and dragged an arm over his eyes. He was still wearing his robes from the night before. When he breathed in deep and slow, he became instantly awake, conscious of who he was scenting.

He wasn't supposed to visit her again. He had just checked up on Toph before he decided to confront Katara. Things just escalated so quickly that he needed to get away from everything. Aang knew he could simply fly away on Appa or his put his glider to use and follow wherever the winds want can take him—but he knew that when he did just that, whatever he and Katara have will be irrevocably destroyed. It's not that he wanted to leave her intentionally, he could never do that to her. It's just in his nature to wander, to roam the land and the sky. Whenever he's feeling particularly overwhelmed or beaten, he just wished he could embrace his nomadic roots and just be… free. Not of Katara, definitely not that. But of all that has happened recently.

So, he thought, all alone that night, of two things: what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go, a place near enough where it won't seem like he's running away.

That's when he felt her move and got his answer.

Toph eavesdropping to probably the worst fight he and Katara had since they were twelve wasn't the biggest issue he needed to address when he saw her alive and well. It was the staggering relief when he saw that his best friend—and constant pain in the ass—is still the same annoying earthbender who taught him to face things head on.

And right now, that's what Aang needed to do. He may have damned the world once, but he could never, won't ever, damn what he and Katara have. Even though all he wanted to do right now was to recap everything that happened last night with Toph and understand what the hell just happened between them.

Aang paused at that line of thought. "Between us? Monkey feathers, that's just crazy!" he whispered harshly to himself.

With a huff, he sat upright taking his shirt off of him in one, fluid motion. He quickly searched for a clean set of clothes and meditated for a few moments. Heck, if he had some time he would've reached out to Roku for some cryptic advice about what to do with his situation right now. But disturbing the past Avatar spirit about love problems might just be pushing it too far.

Plus, it's _him_ and _Katara_. At the end of the day, their love will work it out as it always does and always will.

* * *

Aang found her by the riverbank near their camp. She was practicing her octopus form—the tips sharp and hardened by ice—with her back turned to him. With a series of graceful punches, she kept stabbing at an invisible enemy, its heart as the target.

Aang sucked in a breath. She's so good with it now—waterbending. Better than good actually. She was breathtaking. He remembered that petty fight years ago when she got pissed because he was doing too well in waterbending for the first time. He didn't get why she got so bitter about it at first, especially since it was her own raw power, that mighty force, that unearthed him beneath the sea. She was strong then and she didn't know it. Looking at her now, at how far she'd come, he can't help but admire her strength. A master in her own right and he was so proud of her.

Katara flared her hands and her form instantly straightened out looking like a very, _very,_ sharp circle of spikes. She turned her hand and they spun around her like a wheel—fast and deadly.

"Kind of dangerous using that on someone don't you think?" he started nervously.

She froze halfway, slowly letting her form dissolve into water once more. She turned her head a fraction, keeping her reaction well-hidden from him. "We have a lot of enemies. We need to be ready when they strike again." Cold. Her voice still sounded so cold.

There was quite a distance between them and a tension so thick he could feel it in the air. He gulped and walked towards her slowly. "But using that technique… you could hurt somebody. More than hurt actually." She looked so detached and so lost in her deadly dance that it reminded him of when she set out with Zuko to avenge her mother. Katara's not a killer, but Aang knew that her rage ran deep when provoked.

"You would know a lot about that don't you."

Aang furrowed his brows in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She looked down and was bending the splattered water on her feat. "Hurting people. Fighting. Always fighting."

"If I didn't know any better it seems that you're accusing me of something I never wanted to do, Katara." To say that he was hurt was an understatement to what he was feeling at that moment.

Knowing him as well as she did, how can she say that to him, out of all people?

Katara finally turned to fully face him. She has dark smudges under her eyes like she didn't get to sleep all night. Her eyes were a bit red too.

Instinct threatens to take over. To embrace her, to hold her… Spirits, he misses her so much. His arms twitched against his sides but he controlled himself. If Katara walked away again, he's not sure he could take it anymore. For now, at least, he wouldn't force his need to understand if that would keep her where she stands.

"Katara, I-I know it's been difficult between us lately. But please, let me know what I can do to make things right. What do you want me to do?" He was always weak when it came to Katara. Even now, five years later, that boyish affection and devotion he had towards her is still as strong as ever. Now that they were together, keeping their relationship is nearly as important as his duty to maintain balance in the world.

Katara looked him straight in the eye and stood a little bit straighter. She would've looked fearless if it weren't for the slight shaking of her lips. With no hesitation however, she said "I think we should… cool it off for a while."

Aang blinked. Again, and again. Their surroundings were suddenly so quiet. The waters undisturbed, the air around them was suffocating, and the heat of the sun felt like a burn. In his mind, he was standing on the edge of a steep cliff staring down at the dark abyss. It was echoing those simple words until it was the only thought in his head. Aang may be over a hundred years late in this generation, but he knew that "cooling it off" is just another way to say it's over.

"You're breaking up with me?" It was such a ridiculous thing to say. Never, not in their five years together, did he imagine that he and Katara will reach this point. As childish and naive as it sounds, Aang always believed that it would be Katara beside him forever, until the day he died even.

 _Baby, you're my forever girl._

He may have said that during a hallucination but it was true. Even before then, before he became a full-fledged Avatar and was just a runaway airbender saved by two Southern Water Tribe siblings, he felt a bond snapping into place when he first set his sights on Katara. Like a tether finally finding its other end. He gripped it tight every day, never wanting to let go.

So why did she?

"No, Aang. I've been thinking about it for a while and-"

 _What?_ "For a while? How long? When were you planning to tell me? And what do you mean _no?_ It's basically the same thing, Katara!" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Did Katara prepare for this moment? Was she expecting it to happen?

"Calm down, Aang, please let me explain." There it is. That wariness.

"Is this because of what happened in Ba Sing Se? Was it something I did before that?" He was shouting. Aang could literally feel the onslaught of pain running down his body. It's as if that invisible enemy she was fighting was him all along and he's just now feeling the stabbing, agonizing pain. The dark abyss in his mind was creeping closer now, tempting him to jump and let go.

Is this what true heartbreak feels like?

"Aang, it's complicated." She sounded so calm. Did she practice saying this to him last night? Were her tears already spent?

"Really? That's all you have to say?" Aang laughed bitterly. He paced around the river bank clearing, needing to move. Katara was just staring at him like he should've understood everything by now. What is she thinking? What didn't he understand?

"Give me something, Katara!" he shouted desperately.

Katara's eyes were glistening with unshed tears when she said, "I need some time away. Away from the fighting. From all of this."

"Even from me?"

Katara came closer and took his right hand in hers. She gently brushed her thumb on the back of his hand and the tenderness of it all hurt so much. He didn't realize he was crying until she lifted her other hand and wiped his tears away.

Aang's losing it, but he needed to say the impossible words before he caves in. "You don't love me anymore?"

He didn't realize he was shaking all over until she stepped closer and held his held his face in her hands. He loved it when she did this, only now, he would forever remember the gesture as a painful memory of what's happening here right now. He would remember his heart being broken, being hurt beyond measure, and the cascade of tears streaming down her face.

"I love you, Aang. I still do," he tried stepping back but she held on. He kept averting his gaze, looking everywhere except those beautiful, blue eyes.

"Aang, listen." No, no, no. He didn't want to hear it. What more can she say? What more can she do? She stubbornly forced his eyes on her and when he did, he couldn't help but let out a small whimper. Spirits, she's so beautiful.

"What happened in Ba Sing Se, it got me thinking. Is this all we're going to do for the rest of our lives? Will there never be peace for us?"

Ah. "You're leaving me." Just say it.

Katara released his face and went for his hands again. She didn't reply to what he said nor did she deny it. They both just stared at their joined hands, mixed tears splattering down the ground.

She sucked in a breath and said, "I've accepted the offer to become the official Water Tribe ambassador for the Fire Nation. I'll be leaving at dawn to help Zuko broker an important deal with the Southern Water Tribe."

Aang slowly lifted his head to stare at her with wide, incredulous eyes. Before he knew it, he jumped down the abyss. He's free falling fast and hard and there was no end, no bottom to absorb the impact. Aang pulled back his hands and slowly backed a step. Then another, and another, until he could no longer smell her, until she was far enough to touch, and kiss, and to do things he would rather be doing than breaking up. She let him go.

Aang stared up at the sky and saw thunderclouds gathering on the horizon. The abyss is eating him up and he let it. "Whatever I say won't make you stay, right? You've made up your mind." And when she did, she would never take it back or be sorry for it.

"I know I should've said something earlier, but I didn't know how, Aang. But it's something I have to do. As selfish as it sounds, I need to know for myself if this is the life I want." She said with a strong resolve.

Rain started drizzling down. Aang didn't reply until it was a downpour, both of them drenched and unmoving. Even though she had broken his heart and maybe his soul, he could never deny her what she wanted. Even if it involved leaving him for the sake of herself.

"You're the one I want, Katara. More than anything else." Aang turned around and dragged his feet towards the forest.

"Go, Katara. Do what you have to do." He couldn't hear what he said over the heavy rainfall. Too lost in his grief, Aang left her under the brutal assault of the rain.

* * *

Aang didn't know where he was nor did he care. The sun had long set when he woke up. He was lying down on a field near the edge of a cliff. Days might have passed, but one thing's for sure: Katara's long gone.

There was no last kiss or even a last embrace. He just up and left her in the rain like a coward.

Aang sat up on his knees and stared at the vast ocean beyond. The cool sea breeze whipped through him and ruffled his robes. There's still so much to see in the world, and for the longest time, he dreamed to explore it with Katara. It was all he ever wanted for himself as Aang and not as the Avatar. Being a monk, it's not in his nature to desire such things, he was taught not to.

But he desired Katara in every way. Accepting his destiny as the Avatar became easier knowing that he had the power to protect the one thing he desired the most—a future with her.

The cliff beyond him morphed into the dark cliff in his mind. The ocean became an endless darkness and he couldn't see the stars above. He remembered free falling and realized he never found the bottom. Aang stood up and neared the precarious edge of the cliff, peered down, and saw the jagged rocks below. Sitting on a flat slab of rock was a woman with blue eyes staring softly at him.

"You came back." Aang cried out. He instantly moved forward and collided face-first onto a rock.

He fell on his back and grunted in pain. Blinking out of the daze, he saw the night sky and the stars once more. The darkness cleared out and he was once again back on the field. Aang stared at the erected earth in front of him and bent it back down, scrambling to get to the edge of the cliff.

Rock handles sprang out beneath his feet and seized his ankles. With a growl, he bent it away again and nearly gripped the edge when he felt cold metal wrap around his ankles and slowly dragged him away.

" _LET ME GO!"_ Aang roared. He tried crawling but soon found a small body tackling him down on his back.

" _GET OFF OF ME!"_ Katara's still down there he must—

"What the hell are you doing, you bald idiot! Stop fighting me!" the stranger said in an all-too-familiar voice.

She flipped him over and had both of his arms and ankles pinned down by some sort of metal restraints. He fought it back and squirmed fiercely, but she melded the metal into the earth, effectively confining him. She straddled him and pulled back a fist to punch a patch of earth near his head. The impact sent tremors around the field and finally made him pause in his struggle.

"Stop moving or the next one goes straight between your eyes, Twinkle Toes." Toph?

Aang shook his head and pleaded, "You don't understand! Katara's there at the bottom of the cliff! I saw her! We have to—"

"Katara's gone, Aang! She left yesterday!" She shouted back with the same ferocity.

Aang growled. "How would you know? Maybe she came back! Please, Toph, let me go!"

Toph didn't back down. "She's won't because she's not coming back for a while."

" _HOW WOULD YOU KNOW!"_ Just after he said that last word a loud slap ringed throughout the field. It echoed through the night and on his stinging cheek. Aang blinked away the shock and stared at Toph with unbelieving eyes. Her clothes were a bit dirty and most of her hair was out of its usual bun. Her disgruntled look made him worry and it cleared his mind a bit to focus on what's going on.

She gripped the collar of his robes and yanked him forward. "Are you with me, Twinkle Toes? Because if not, I really am gonna have fun trying to knock some sense back into you, and frankly I'm not in the mood to hold them back." Toph threatened menacingly.

For a long while, the crashing waves below were the only sound around the area. Aang didn't know what to say and his body just sagged under Toph's firm grip. He didn't want to know what happened when Katara left, what she said to the group. But he must, if only to remember that she was here all along.

"What did she say to you?" Aang rasped.

Toph studied him for a long moment. She clicked her tongue and let him go. She pushed herself off of him and sat near his side, bracing her arms behind her like she did a lifetime ago in her tent.

"Not much, just that she's going to Zuko's to find herself or something like that." Toph casually said.

Lying there on the hard, unforgiving earth and getting slapped on the face must have numbed him completely because he replied with ease, "What about breaking up with me, did she say anything about that?"

Toph snorted and Aang whipped his head to her. "You really find this stupid, huh? How typical of you, Toph."

"Hey, don't throw your anger at me, meathead. I wasn't the one who left you here on, technically, dirt." She avoided Aang's enraged gaze and stared up the direction of the night sky. How dare she make fun of him? Seriously, what did he expect from––

"I was out looking for you since yesterday, you know. Hence, the dirty, smelly earthbender." She wrinkled her nose at that. "I wasn't able to ask Katara about that stuff because the moment she said what she's gonna do I instantly realized you might just do something very stupid and I was right." Faster than an eel hound, she punched his shoulder with such great force his arm shook.

"Stop with the punching, Toph!"

"And why would I do that?" She punched him again and he felt his unstable hold on his Avatar state flare to life.

"Cut it out!"

"Don't be such a wimp, Twinkle Toes. Spirits, no wonder Katara-" Toph didn't get to finish her sentence. He knew his eyes were lighting up sporadically, the Avatar state waiting to be released. Aang tried to control it, but those unspoken words have done its damage.

She quickly sprang to her feet and to his sheer surprise, removed his metal bonds and returned to its arm-ring form on her bicep. Aang quickly lifted himself up and curled his lips back with a deep snarl. The next thing he knew, a large boulder was hurled towards his direction and he quickly sliced it in two with hard air. In his panic, he didn't see Toph appear between the fissure as she bent the earth beneath his feet, catapulting him.

Aang steadied himself mid-air and landed a good few feet away. Without thinking he raised his arms and called on the nearby sea to crush the raised earth. The water rose over the expanse of the field and Aang didn't hesitate to bring down the rushing wave. Toph just stood there, a slightly panicked look on her face. He then realized that she didn't know what's coming since the attack is coming from above.

He tried to call back the massive wave, but he couldn't get a hold of himself and his power, not when absolute fear for Toph once again overruled his control. " _TOPH! ABOVE YOU!_ "

The wave came crashing down with unrelenting force and the field was suddenly awash in seawater. Aang bent the sea breeze and propelled himself to the last spot he saw his friend.

The moment he landed on it, the earth quickly sunk beneath his feet and trapped his whole body from the neck down. Just near his head, Toph rose from the ground and simply brushed off visible dirt from her already dirty shirt.

"I gotta say, you're such a show-off. Didn't even notice I went under, geez. Once we're done here, we're back to training your ass off, Twinkle Toes." That infuriating smirk appeared and he realized he got bested by his sifu once again.

"Damn... And here I was thinking I taught you so well already. You really are my worst student. Imagine if people saw _my_ very firststudent neck-deep in muck?" Toph placed a delicate hand on her forehead and fanned her face, "Oh, the disgrace!"

Aang wasn't so sure of what's happening anymore, but sinking down Toph with him in the middle of her fake sermon and seeing her dumbfounded expression was worth the trouble later on. There are now two heads sticking out on the field and to any stranger, it would really be a strange sight.

"Ugh! Couldn't you even think of something else? Seriously, this is beyond disappointing." She kept blowing her bangs away from her face and shouted in anger when they stayed put.

"This doesn't mean you won, okay! We're going to have a rematch after I get us out." Toph continued.

"Why can't I be the one to get us out?"

"Well, can you?"

"Is that a serious question?"

"Why did you answer my question with another question?"

"Well, why did you start punching me in the first place?"

"You're punchable."

"Wow. And Sokka is not punchable?"

"Who says he's not?"

Aang almost cracked on that one, but instead, let out an exasperating breath. He went quiet and tried not to fall into their banter again. Has it always been this easy with Toph? Could he simply set aside this pain for a moment and… move on like he didn't lose the love of his life?

Toph noticed he got quiet again and said, "I don't have any words of wisdom to share with you, and I don't have the right to say that you should–"

"Then don't." Toph ignored his sharp tone and glared at him.

"But, I won't tolerate you doing something stupid like jumping off a cliff. That, my friend, is just plain dumb."

"I told you, I thought I saw…" Aang paused with a gulp. "I thought I saw her down there."

"Say it." Toph's harsh tone made Aang turn his head towards her along with a questioning look.

"Say what?"

"Her name." Aang pursed his lips and suddenly felt smothered by her words and the earth he was trapped in.

"Why do you care?" He couldn't help the bitter tone that escaped his mouth.

"Because she has a damn name and it shouldn't scare you." Toph slammed back.

Easy with Toph? Never. But he remembered her most important lesson that motivated him to go to Katara that morning.

 _You've got to face it head on._

He did and was met with the loss of a friend, a lover, and a dream. She was all that and more. In those years of loving no one but her, Aang found a purpose beyond his destiny as the Avatar. But what now? What now...

"Katara…" It was barely a whisper but he heard a crude sound of approval from the earthbender. With a sudden jolt, Toph broke free and jumped up like it's the easiest thing to do in the world. She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped an impatient foot.

"Are you going to stay there all day or what? It's embarrassing."

Aang knew his life's about to get a whole lot worse. Without Katara, he was lost. For how long? He didn't know. But for now, in the comfort of the secluded field, the ocean beyond, and a star-flecked sky, he wouldn't give Toph the satisfaction of beating him again. He would focus on wiping that arrogant smirk off her face. Just for now, he would let himself feel.

* * *

 **A/N: I think every chapter will have that specific song to give it more meaning. For chapter 3, it's Tangled Up by Parade of Lights which is just phenomenal. Huuuge thanks to those who followed and added this story in their favorites, please stay with me until the end! To the readers, thank you for keeping the Taang spark alive!**

 **Will be updating this story once or twice a month! *crosses fingers***


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